Highlights from Antiquorum, Christie's and Sotheby's October auctions

In the past days Antiquorum, Christie's and Sotheby's offered important watches in threeauctions held in New York, Dubai and Hong Kong respectively. Not necessarily the most expensive lots, we highlight below a few remarkable timepieces.

Sotheby’s "Important Watches" opened on October 5 in Hong Kong and sold 256 lots which drove the total of the auction to more than 6 million US$ (47,636,250 HKD).

A platinum tonneau-shaped Patek Philippe Ref. 5013P (lot 2289) produced in 2003 and featuring minute repetition, perpetual calendar with retrograde date, moon phases and leap year sold for the amount of US$ 443,519 (3,440,000 HKD).

Reference 5013 was launched in 1992 and is one of the most complex wristwatches ever made by Patek Philippe, with a total of 515 parts. This model was the first minute-repeating wristwatch to feature an automatic movement combined with perpetual calendar with retrograde date indication. The retrograde date hand moves along a 270 degree arc and at midnight of the last day of each month, it flies back to the first of the month. The production of Reference 5013 ceased in 2011.

The Richard Mille RM 025 is a pretty unique diver’s watch (WR to 300 metres / 1000 feet) with its carbon composite and titanium case, uni-directional revolving bezel, semi-skeletonized dial and rare set of complications: a tourbillon combined with a chronograph movement and the further complexity of a torque indicator positioned to the right of the barrel, between 12 and 1 o'clock. This indicator shows the tension of the mainspring, ensuring the chronometer function of the movement.

With its four silvered dials, the Antiqua was the first model created by the Swiss independent watchmaker and first exhibited in 1998 at the Basel fair. The design of the piece was revolutionary and represents, still today, the DNA of Vianney Halter.

Held in New York on October 8th, Antiquorum’s "Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces" totaled US$ 5,600,490 with 324 timepieces sold for a remarkable 86% by lot.

An A. Lange and Söhne Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite in platinum (lot 150) attracted bidders attention and was acquired for US$ 249,750, over double its original estimate. The watch was produced in a limited edition of 100 pieces in 2011.

The Rolex Ref. 6239 with tropical dial (lot 231), an extremely rare stainless steel wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, tachometer, steel bezel graduated to 300 UPH and a stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet with deployant clasp made in 1962, in all original condition, was bought by a room bidder for US$ 97,350.

This rare Nautilus model was made for the Sultanate of Oman as evidenced by the the national emblem appearing on the typical ribbed black dial. A Patek Philippe extract from the Archives confirms that the watch was sold on 31 July 1978. The extract also states that the original dial was changed during a servicing in 2003.

Another interesting lot was number 58, the Harry Winston Opus X,c reated in collaboration with Jean-Francois Mojon in 2010, which realised US$ 93,750.

The number 17 of a limited edition of 100 pieces, this white gold semi-skeletonised wristwatch features a rotating platform supporting three time modules for hours, minutes and seconds, with 24 hour indication and linear power reserve.

A Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT Master Ref. 6542 produced in 1958 (lot 71) was sold for the amount of US$ 93,750. The yellow case, enhanced by a brown bakelite bezel calibrated for 24 hours, frames a brown dial with an additional central hand for the second time zone and a magnified window for the date.

For the full lists of the lots that were sold at these auctions, just follow the links below: